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Bayer Eyes Indications Beyond BlueRock's Initial Focus With $240m-Plus Buyout

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Bayer will acquire the 40.8% of BlueRock that it doesn't already own as the firm's largest investor via a $225m series A round in 2016. A clinical trial for BlueRock's Parkinson's disease candidate is expected to begin later this year.

Business partners hands on top of each other symbolizing companionship
Bayer will oversee the company's operations, but maintain BlueRock's entrepreneurial nature. • Source: Shutterstock

Bayer AG already held a majority stake in BlueRock Therapeutics, but now says it will pay $240m up front and up to $360m in milestone fees to own the cell therapy developer outright and potentially expand its focus beyond neurology, cardiology and immunology.

While Bayer is eyeing new disease areas for BlueRock's induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based Cell+Gene technology platform, the biotechnology firm will operate autonomously with some input from its parent company to maintain an entrepreneurial spirit of innovation. The deal is in line with Bayer's strategic interest in cell and gene therapy, in which the company has made significant investments, including the creation of its Leaps by Bayer unit for advancing innovative technologies in specific areas of interest

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